Newcastle to Tamworth road trip: Distance, drive time & best stops

The Newcastle to Tamworth drive covers a distance of 282km in a driving time of around 3h26m. The best road trip stops to add to an itinerary are the Hunter Valley wine region and Mount Wingen.

A Newcastle to Tamworth road trip takes in a few parts of New South Wales that most visitors don’t get to see.

Newcastle offers plenty of activities, including adventure boat cruises along the coastline, architecture and street art walking tours and whale watching cruises. For a big menu of Newcastle tours and experiences, explore here. To fix up one of Newcastle’s best accommodation options, book here.

Tamworth, meanwhile, is lovingly regarded as Australia’s country music capital. You can look at the Tamworth accommodation options here.

Between Newcastle and Tamworth, however, are several potential road trip stops worthy of investigation.

Newcastle to Tamworth distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Newcastle to Tamworth is 282km, and the drive takes around three hours and 26 minutes.

9 cool Newcastle experiences you need to book in advance

An Adventure boat cruise along the Hunter coast – with thrills and scenery.
A mobile phone-based scavenger hunt – explore the city differently.
An architecture and street art walking tour – see all the best murals.
A whale-watching tour – get close to the migrating humpback whales.
A two hour city highlights tour by bus – get orientated when you first arrive.
A scenic helicopter flight – see the spectacular coastline from above.
A three hour craft beer and food-matching tour – get a taste of the drinking and dining scene.
A food, drink and history walking tour – hear stories and indulge at the same time.

Good things to do in Newcastle before leaving include enjoying wildlife at Blackbutt Reserve, whale-watching tours, swimming at Merewether Baths and browsing the city’s museums.

Head out of the city, however, along the Hunter Expressway towards Branxton. This is one of the gateways to the Hunter Valley wine region, although the most easily visited are around Allandale on the way.

At Branxton, join the New England Highway and head past Belford National Park. Daredevils may be interested in Skydive Hunter Valley at Whittingham, but the next sizable towns are the thoroughly underwhelming Singleton and Muswellbrook.

Newcastle to Tamworth drive: Aberdeen and Scone

After Muswellbrook, the first town is Aberdeen, where you can hang out by the Hunter River in Jefferson Park.

There’s a potential detour to picnics, fishing and watersports-friendly Lake Glenbawn. Otherwise, Scone is the next town. The 4km Figtree Creek Track through Scone Mountain National Park is the highlight here.

The best places to stay in Scone

The top Scone accommodation options are:

For a cheap, but surprisingly good quality motel: Isis Motel.
For a bed and breakfast with an indoor pool: Strathearn Park Lodge.
For town centre location: Portman House.

Newcastle to Tamworth road trip: Wingen, Murrurundi and Tamworth

Near Wingen, Towarri National Park offers a fabulous swimming spot – the Washpools Waterhole by the Washpools Picnic Area.

Then, between Wingen and Murualla, Mount Wingen is a smouldering coal seam where rocks change colour. The 4km walk trough the Burning Mountain Nature Reserve showcases the vents breaking through the earth’s surface.

Keep going and you’ll reach Murrurundi, a decent lunch stop with a few cafés, art galleries and hotels. You can dose up on local history at the Murrurundi Museum.

After the junction with the Kamilaroi Highway in Willow Tree, plough on towards Tamworth. On the way in, you can visit the First Fleet Memorial Garden in Wallabadah or take a tour of the Nundle Woollen Mill in Nundle.

Things to do in Tamworth include the Australian Country Music Hall of Fame and the Tamworth Powerstation Museum, which is all about electricity and electronics.